Dusk
by Mousy677
Summary: When a small cat is found in the forest on ShadowClan's territory, the leader is surprised, but still makes her apprentice. Unbeknownst to all, however, little Duskpaw isn't all she seems. M for Romance and Glossed-Over violence. All OCs.
1. Prologue

**Prologue.**

The three cats trekked through ShadowClan's territory. The thick-furred she-cat found her fur sticking to her slim body, but the silver-grey seemed perfectly at home. The little white cat at the back, however, seemed anything but contented. He looked around at any noise, and then sprinted ahead when the other two left her behind. He was obviously terrified.

"Grasspelt, why did you insist upon this? It's pointless! There are no cats out here apart from loners and lost kittypets! We won't find anything!" said the little cat.

"Great StarClan, there won't be any here if you yowl that loud, Whitepaw! Hush-up!" hissed the short furred black tom beside her. If it was possible, Whitepaw seemed to become smaller. While they padded, a shape came out of the undergrowth. A large, black cat. Whitepaw instinctively sheathed her claws, but several more cats appeared out of nowhere. Grasspelt sprung forwards.

"Nightstar! Run! Get away from here!" Grasspelt shouted. Nightstar tried to run, but got sprung upon my one of the rogues. It bit down on her neck and she stopped moving. Grasspelt was already in battle with a white rogue, but it dragged him over to a river and threw him in. He was quickly carried away. Whitepaw looked on, shocked. He picked up his leader's body as best she could, and dragged her back through the forest.

It was a mystery to him why he hadn't been attacked, but he was pleased that he hadn't. But, now he had the difficult job of telling the rest of ShadowClan that Nightstar and Grasspelt were dead. He supposed Sparrowflight would become leader. Then, he felt his stomach tighten. That would mean Boulderheart would become deputy. That terrified him more than the rogues had. But, no matter. He had to get Nightstar's body back there.

"Need a paw?" asked a voice beside him. He turned abruptly, and saw a little she-cat, dragging Grasspelt's body. "I'm Dusk," she added through a mouthful of Grasspelt's fur. Whitepaw dipped his head respectfully and looked anxiously at Dusk. She hadn't attacked... Why hadn't she attacked?

"I'm Whitepaw, apprentice of ShadowClan." Whitepaw mewed. Dusk looked at him.

"White… Paw? But, you're all white… Not just your paws…"

"I'm called Whitepaw because I'm an apprentice. All apprentices' names end with paw. That's Grasspelt you're carrying. He was deputy. And this was Nightstar. She was the leader," he mewed. "Say! Why don't you join ShadowClan?' he mewed.

"I can't. Momma wouldn't let me, even if I brought her all the wrens in the forest. Poppa would, but Momma doesn't like me going anywhere. And what if ShadowClan don't accept me?" Dusk said.

"They will. I'll say you attacked the other cats, and killed one of them. They'll accept you that way. Oh, and you jumped in to the river, and dragged Grasspelt's body out, even though you didn't know him. They'll definitely accept you that way. Although, Boulderheart might…"

Whitepaw trailed off as a shadow fell across the path. He looked up, and saw Rainpool and Lionpelt in front of him and Dusk. Dusk shrunk back in to her smooth, dark pelt but Whitepaw stood up straight.

"What happened? Are you OK? Oh my, what happened to Nightstar? And Grasspelt?" mewed Rainpool. Whitepaw gently lowered Nightstar on to the ground, and Dusk anxiously lowered Grasspelt.

"Rainpool, Lionpelt, this is Dusk. She fought with me against the evil cats, and she got Grasspelt's body out of the river. If she hadn't attacked the rogue, I would have died!" Whitepaw mewed. Lionpelt bristled.

"Yet, neither of you thought to save Nightstar? How do you explain that, Whitepaw?" he hissed. Rainpool sighed and picked up Nightstar.

"She… She was too far away… The rogues set up an ambush, and… And… She jumped out and attacked the rogues when they attacked, but she was too far away from the other cats. But, she found Grasspelt's body." Whitepaw mewed as Lionpelt picked up Grasspelt's body.

"You should join the Clan, Dusk." Lionpelt mewed indistinctly through Grasspelt's fur. Whitepaw nodded and looked at Dusk, who seemed to be bouncing up and down.


	2. Chapter one

**One: Nine lives.**

The four cats arrived back in camp, to much yowling from ShadowClan. Darkstream and his sister, Sharptooth, came forwards, as well as Sparrowflight and Boulderheart. The four cats looked at each other. Darkstream obviously didn't want to become leader, but Sharptooth did. But, she had mentored one apprentice. Eventually, Rainpool and Lionpelt stepped forwards. Rainpool looked at the four cats.

"It should fall to Sparrowflight and Boulderheart. They were next in line, after Grasspelt," the blue-grey she-cat mewed. Darkstream nodded and nudged Sharptooth, who nodded reluctantly. Clearly, the pale she-cat's ambitions would get in the way of her friendship with little Dusk.

Dusk obviously didn't know what was going on, but that was understandable. She didn't understand the Clans. She looked at Whitepaw as Dawnfrost padded out of her den, with Frostpaw. Dawnfrost took one look at Grasspelt and Nightstar and padded to Sparrowflight.

"It will be Sparrowflight," she mewed, gently nudging the ex-leader. She looked gravely up, making it obvious that she was dead. "We shall bury them. In the meantime, Sparrowflight must prepare to receive her nine lives from StarClan. Whitepaw, get some sleep, along with your friend here. What is your name?" she mewed.

"I… I am Dusk…" Dusk mewed.

"You obviously aren't a Clan cat, Dusk. I am Dawnfrost, the Medicine cat of ShadowClan. I can speak to StarClan, and so can Frostpaw here, to an extent. She's the Medicine cat apprentice. Whitepaw, why don't you show Dusk around?" Dawnfrost mewed, ducking in to her den. Frostpaw followed, after nodding at Whitepaw and glowering icily at Dusk, who nodded in reply. Suddenly, there was a great mew, and two cats ran out of the apprentices' den.

"What happened? Where's Sparrowflight? Is anyone hurt?" shouted an amber-eyed tom with brown pelt. Whitepaw sighed.

"Nightstar and Grasspelt are dead, and the Clan has a new member. Sparrowflight is now preparing to journey to Mothermouth with Dawnfrost. That's all," Whitepaw mewed, nosing his shoulder. "Dusk, these are Lizardpaw and Smokepaw. Don't worry about them, they won't hurt you," Whitepaw mewed gently. Dusk nodded.

At that moment, Dawnfrost and Sparrowflight came out of the Medicine cat's den. Sparrowflight looked ready to address ShadowClan, but she got nosed onwards by Dawnfrost. Whitepaw was pushed to the top of the rock by Dawnfrost and Frostpaw padded up beside, glowering down at Dusk, once again. He looked terrified. "ShadowClan!" he shrieked. Cats came padding out of their dens. They all looked confused to see the white apprentice on the top of the rock.

"What's happening?" shouted a dark-ginger she-cat. "Why does Nightstar not address us?"

"Nightstar and Grasspelt have met with death! Sparrowflight has gone to get her nine lives!"

"Then, you and Frostpaw are in charge until she comes back!" shouted the dark ginger cat in reply. Whitepaw nodded as Frostpaw began to speak.

"We must organize a funeral. Dusk, go with Dovepaw and get Flowerpelt and Rippleclaw." She glowered round at Dusk. "And do it NOW."

The two cats ran off toward one of the dens and ducked inside, returning a minute later with two older cats. They carefully picked up the two cats' bodies between them, and the cats of the Clan made a row for them to walk through. Dusk looked confused, so Whitepaw nudged her back. She stood beside him, her head low. She was embarrassed, it was clear. As the elders left, Whitepaw stood, fixed to the spot. Frostpaw jumped on to the top of the rock and Whitepaw jumped up beside her. They watched the Clan from there, very anxious. But, they just did what they usually did.

Eventually, the sun set below the horizon, by which time Sparrowflight and Dawnfrost should have been at Mothermouth. The two cats stayed there, and Dusk eventually joined them. They looked worriedly at the sky, wishing for the torture to end, and for the two cats to return. Eventually, Boulderheart joined them. He jumped up on to the rock behind the three. Dusk seemed scared of him, but Frostpaw wasn't.

"You'll probably be deputy, you know. Sparrowflight trusts you a lot. You seem to get on well, too."

"And she'll continue mentoring Whitepaw. I'm not sure who'll mentor Dusk, here. Who do you think?" Boulderheart asked. Frostpaw shrugged.

"I don't know… I think Rainpool. I know she's never been a mentor before, but she's very noble and brave. I know that much. And she would let anyone hurt an apprentice. I think it will be Rainpool." She snarled and glowered at Dusk.

Eventually, Sparrowstar and Dawnfrost returned. The three cats jumped down from the great rock. Sparrowstar still looked shaken, but she was back. That was all the mattered.


	3. Chapter two

**Two: New Clan member.**

Sparrowstar looked shocked. She had barely returned to camp, yet she was already bombarded with other cats wanting to talk to her. She lifted her brown head as Dawnfrost shooed the other cats away. They all left apart from Dusk, Boulderheart, Frostpaw and Whitepaw. Whitepaw's expression was anxious. Dusk's was fearful. Frostpaw's was gentle, while Boulderheart looked gently at the tabby she-cat. Sparrowstar seemed exhausted, so Boulderheart looked at Dusk.

"Dusk, your apprentice-"

"No. I'll do it now. And I'll announce deputy while I'm there," Sparrowstar mewed, looking across at Boulderheart, who stood up straighter than normal. She chuckled slightly. It was obvious that she was tired after going to Mothermouth and receiving her lives then coming back. But, she would do the ceremony. "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Dark Rock for a Clan meeting!" she shouted.

Like liquid darkness, ShadowClan emerged from dens. They saw Sparrowstar standing there and glanced at the she-cat. She was leader of the Clan now. She was respected, and would have to go to the gatherings. But, she had other things to attend to.

"From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Duskpaw. Her mentor shall be Rainpool, who shall teach her kindness, loyalty to her Clan and nobility," she mewed. The cats chanted Duskpaw's name and Rainpool padded forwards and touched her nose.

"Duskpaw! Duskpaw! Duskpaw! Duskpaw!" ShadowClan chanted. Whitepaw purred calmly as his friend padded over to him. They purred together for a second before turning their attention to Sparrowstar once again. She was going to announce the new deputy to the Clan!

"I say these words before StarClan, that the spirit of Grasspelt may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy will be Boulderheart," she mewed. Boulderheart obviously wasn't surprised, but he faked it, even so. He stood up straight, and mewed,

"I... I never expected this great honour! But, cats of ShadowClan, I shall assure you that no cat shall meet with the fate of Grasspelt and Nightstar as long as I am deputy!" he mewed. He looked at the Clan, particularly at Duskpaw, who ducked her head slightly.

As Cobwebpelt glanced up at his brother, Whitepaw thought he saw a look of ange and spite in the black-and grey tom's blue eyes. But, it quickly passed, as Boulderheart padded over to him, purring. Cobwebpelt nosed his silvery brother's shoulder and purred at his brother, while looking happily up at Sparrowstar. While she was never deputy, she would definitely make an excellent leader. She was a beautiful cat, as well.

While Dusk was standing underneath the Darkrock, Rippleclaw, one of the elders, padded over to her. He was once a handsome tom, but now he was elderly and ill quite often. But he was still a good cat at heart, and that was what really mattered. He also had a lot of stories to tell, and that was what most cats liked about him.

"I remember when that rock wasn't black," he mewed darkly. His eyes shone with memories and Whitepaw and Duskpaw turned to look at him. "It was the night of the great fire. Ashstar and Stormfur were asleep together on the rock, while the other cats were in there dens. Then, there was a great crash! Thunder caught! The two cats just made it down in time, and they left camp. When they returned, the rock was as black as the night..." he mewed melodramatically. He looked at the two cats as Rainpool padded over with Sparrowstar. Three other cats were with them. One glanced dismissively at Duskpaw.

"Look at the rubbish ShadowClan is letting in nowadays. When I was a kit, you would have had your eyes clawed out and your tail pulled out. But instead you get apprenticed to a senior warrior, respected through the whole forest and feared by the other Clans? What is ShadowClan coming to?" she mewed. The sandy coloured she-cat behind her sighed and the white tom sprung at Whitepaw. Within a few seconds they were rolling around on the ground, laughing.

"I am _very_ sorry on behalf of my siblings. I'm Sandtail, he's Icebreath, she's Nettleclaw. We're Sparrowstar's kits, and we should have a good nature. But Nettleclaw has been taking lessons from Badgerstripe for too long, and Icebreath has been talking to Finchstorm too much, if you ask me," mewed the light ginger she-cat. Duskpaw dipped her head politely.

"Don't worry about it. Very few cats respect me. Even my own parents didn't. Only my brother did. Do you know your father?" Duskpaw mewed.

"Our father? What a strange question. But yes, yes we do. He's called Emberleaf, and he's from WindClan," mewed Sandtail. Sparrowstar looked in the direction of the two cats rolling around on the ground, chuckling slightly. She obviously liked to see the cats of her Clan playing.

"For StarClan's sake, get off me, you great lump!" Whitepaw mewed. Icebreath chuckled and got up as Nettleclaw stalked off.

"_Grumpy,_" mewed Sandtail.

At that moment, there was a great yowl from one of the dens and all of the cats in the clearing jumped. Whitepaw looked up, away from Icebreath, who stood up, brushing dust from his pelt as a speckled she-cat ran out of the nursery.

"Where are my kits?" she screeched. A dark shape was padding out of camp, two bundles of fur in its jaws. Duskpaw sprung and attacked, throwing whatever it was to the ground. It shrieked and dropped the kits. The two cats rolled around on the ground, hissing and spitting, while another cat grabbed the kits, and a third cat shrieked,

"You thought you'd defeated ThunderClan, but you never shall!" and they slunk out of camp while Duskpaw was still fighting the other cat. A cat ran out of the apprentice den, and she and Whitepaw attacked the other two cats, but they got away. Duskpaw had managed to defeat the other cat, although she was badly injured. She dragged the cat over to a spotted she-cat.

"Well done, young one. You're a good fighter," mewed Sparrowstar to the wheezing little cat. "Speckleclaw, go after them. We'll be fine without you," she mewed. So, this cat was called Speckleclaw?

Speckleclaw ran out of camp while Sparrowstar was getting ready to confront the cat that had attacked and stolen the kits.

"No... Oh... Oh, no... No, this can't be..." mewed Duskpaw. The cat got slowly to his feet, testing each paw as he put it on the ground. He looked at Duskpaw.

"Dusk... Why did you... I'm... What are..." he mewed. Duskpaw shook her head and padded out of camp, sullen.

"Who are you?" hissed Sparrowstar. The cat sighed.

"My name is Agua. I am Dusk's brother," he replied. There was anxiousness shining in his amber eyes as the two other cats padded back in, followed by Speckleclaw and Duskpaw. Speckleclaw was speaking quietly to Duskpaw. Neither had found either of the kits.

"Froststar? Hawktalon? How could you drop so low?" mewed Sparrowstar. She looked at Duskpaw. "Is he really your brother?" she mewed. Duskpaw nodded.

"Dusk, why did you come here?" mewed a confused Agua. Slightly upset, Duskpaw sighed. She looked down at her grey paws.

"I'm not Dusk any more. I'm now Duskpaw, apprentice of ShadowClan." She mewed.

"And at this rate you'll be warrior before you can flick your tail," mewed Nettleclaw, genuinely impressed. Duskpaw glanced down. She was obviously slightly sad about this.

"Yes... But... Agua is my brother..." she mewed. Nettleclaw nodded understandingly. She knew about strange kin. With a WindClan father and ShadowClan mother, she had her own problems with kin. For that reason, she would look after Dusk as best she could.


	4. Chapter three

**Three: A long wait.**

Waiting around in camp was boring. Whitepaw was sitting in the apprentices' den, washing his paws, while Agua and Duskpaw sat together in a corner of the camp. Froststar and Hawktalon were being held hostage in the bramble thickets until they told where they'd taken Speckleclaw's kits. Neither had spoken a word to Sparrowstar. She was obviously really annoyed, but also worried for Duskpaw, who had said even less than the leader and deputy of ThunderClan.

Eventually, Whitepaw and Lizardpaw padded out of the apprentices' den. Both were obviously slightly worried, but Gingerpaw, the youngest apprentice in ShadowClan, was the most worried about Duskpaw. She cared a lot about the Clan, and Nightstar had often said that she would be a great leader. Gingerpaw, on the other paw, wasn't quite so sure.

"Duskpaw?" said Whitepaw. The dusky-coloured she-cat slowly lifted her head, and looked slightly disappointed. Agua was obviously asleep, breathing softly. "Why don't you come in to the apprentices' den? It's warmer. I'll talk to Sparrowstar," he said gently. Duskpaw sighed. She was obviously very tired. Agua shifted his grey head and glanced up at the two cats.

"You should both go to the Medicine Cat den," Lizardpaw mewed gently as Frostpaw padded over with Speckleclaw. She glanced down at Duskpaw with a quiet sigh. She obviously felt a bit sorry for her, despite her attitude.

"Duskpaw, Agua, you two should go and talk to Sparrowstar." Frostpaw mewed. Whitepaw nodded in agreement and looked over at Lizardpaw. He saw a flash of brown running out of camp, which was obviously Lizardpaw. He had never had any patience. But, he was a good cat at heart.

"I know..." Duskpaw said miserably. She got up, followed by Agua, and they went over to Sparrowstar. Lizardpaw came back in to camp, looking annoyed and dejected. He hadn't found the kits. He padded to Speckleclaw, who was also his mother, and sighed.

"I couldn't find them."

"Well, well done for trying, Lizardpaw. You did well, going out of camp at a time like this. I do want to know where they are. They must have gone when Hawktalon and Froststar were captured. They could be anywhere by now..." she mewed. Lizardpaw nodded.

There was sudden speaking, and two RiverClan cats came in to camp. A lanky ginger she-cat and a larger she-cat, presumably her mother. They were carrying Speckleclaw's kits! The spotted queen and her son bounded over.

"I thought these two were from here. They were in the river. Foxfoot only just saw them rushing past, and we both jumped in to get them. You might want to get them checked over by Dawnfrost, though," mewed the smaller cat, who was small as it stood. She smiled. "I'm Fireshadow, by the way," she added, glancing behind herself at Whitepaw, who was obviously smitten with the RiverClan cat. "And don't hang your mouth open like that. You'll choke on a fly," she joked, grinning at him. Her mother was already out of camp, and Fireshadow ran after her.

With that, the two RiverClan she-cats padded off. Whitepaw swooned, shaking his pale head. Duskpaw glared at him darkly, looking just about ready to give him a clawing. Agua limped over, following his sister. He chuckled when he saw the dumbstruck apprentice.

"Leave it. She's _way_ out of your league, and take that from me. Also, I think that there may be another she-cat here with a _teeny_ bit of a crush on you. Just saying," he mewed, glancing at Duskpaw, who immediately launched herself on to him. They were of pretty even size, so it would have been a humorous fight if Agua hadn't shaken his sister off and got to sit in the sun near Froststar and Hawktalon, who glared at him.

"_Traitor,_" Hawktalon hissed. Agua snarled back, narrowing amber eyes, ears flat against his grey head.

"I don't need to serve you. I'll join ShadowClan," hissed the grey tom. He glanced at Duskpaw, whose ears pricked up at this most recent comment.

"You should," Rainpool said gently, padding over. Her amber eyes were very gentle as she looked the grey tom up and down. "But, Agua... I'm not sure what Sparrowstar would..." She trailed off with a sigh, not quite sure what she herself meant. As she spoke, Frostpaw and Whitepaw walked over.

"The kits will be fine," Frostpaw said coldly. Duskpaw sighed, and Agua got up.

"I can see I'm not wanted," he hissed, walking out. Duskpaw didn't follow him like she usually would. She lifted a paw slightly and put it on the ground.

"Whitepaw," Frostpaw said darkly. "You two should go to bed. But on separate sides of the den. I won't have my _brother_ getting pulling in to such foolish things."

Whitepaw nodded. But, when he looked round, Duskpaw had gone.


	5. Chapter four

**Four: Wings of an Eagle.**

Duskpaw didn't sleep so well that night. She kept waking up, and thinking about Frostpaw's words. What had she meant? She understood that Whitepaw's sister was protective, but what was it about Duskpaw that she didn't like?

She got up, and stepped over the other Apprentices in the den, padding out. Frostpaw was outside the Medicine Cat's den, holding a bundle of herbs.

"Duskpaw," she hissed, eyes narrowed, turning around. There was... Something that was different about her. Something Duskpaw couldn't quite put her paw on. She looked at her. "Come with me," she ordered. Duskpaw nodded and she dropped the bundle of herbs. She walked out of camp, Duskpaw following at a distance.

As soon as they were quite far away from camp, Frostpaw turned to face Duskpaw.

"What is it you don't like about me?" Duskpaw enquired harshly, claws out. Frostpaw hissed and crouched low to the ground. Her blue eyes were narrowed. She suddenly sprung up, and attacked Duskpaw. Duskpaw responded by flipping over on to her back, then spinning nimbly over. And biting lightly down on her neck. Just enough to draw blood. She shook the white she-cat violently from side to side. Suddenly, Frostpaw went very limp. Duskpaw gasped. She had killed Frostpaw. She had killed the Medicine Cat's apprentice. Suddenly, something occured to her. Unfortunately, it occured to slowly, as, before she could move, something rustled in the treetops. She looked up. Leering at her, there was a huge brown bird.

Her mother had told her about these creatures. Eagles. They were hard to kill. And that was when it occured to her.

"Hey! Eagle! Come and get us!" she shouted. The eagle looked down at her, mocking. She pulled Frostpaw's body closer to the eagle. It looked down, now vaguely interested, although it wasn't obvious if he was just bluffing. Then, it swooped and attacked Frostpaw's body. Now was Duskpaw's chance: "No! No! Let her go!" she shrieked, hoping that they were within earshot of the camp.

The eagle did let her go, and, distracted from its meal, it attacked Duskpaw instead. She fought hard, but not hard enough. "Help! Help me! Someone! Anyone!" she shrieked. Oh, this was perfect! All according to plan.

Suddenly, hurried pawsteps made their way through the wood. She turned around, and saw Lizardpaw, Crowpaw, Dovepaw, Gingerpoppy and Finchstorm. They all looked astounded.

"Ahh... OK! Dovepaw! Go round and pull the eagle off Duskpaw! All of you, try to kill it!" Finchstorm shouted, Then sprung at the eagle herself, scratching at its eyes with her sharp claws. It started shrieking and flapping its head around, and, in the kerfuffle, it let go of Duskpaw, who collapsed to the ground. She was certainly glad that Whitepaw hadn't come. He would guess right away.

"What happened?" Finchstorm asked. Dovepaw and Crowpaw came either side of Duskpaw and supported her, while Finchstorm carried Frostpaw. Lizardpaw and Gingerpaw padded alongside each other. They were both scratched by the eagle, and wuite badly.

As they reached camp, Finchstorm put Frostpaw down in the clearing, and ran in to the leader's den.

"Sparrowstar! Sparrowstar!" she shouted. "Come out here! Frostpaw and Duskpaw were attacked by an eagle!"

A sleepy-looking Sparrowstar padded out of her den.

"Hmuh? Go and wake Dawnfrost," she muttered, then padded over to them. Finchstorm nodded anxiously and bounded in to the den.


End file.
